171 posts categorized "Spotlight"

Alison Lynch of Canada-based art studio - Burnish and Brush - takes our breath away with her mixed media art collection. Every piece is individually handmade, making each one truly one of a kind.. No two pieces are alike! Using strong, bright colours, sharp lines and different textures with special attention to detail, she finds delight in reflecting life's most meaningful moments in her artwork.. You can even work with Alison herself to create a truly personalised piece, which we think will definitely make an amazing gift for a loved one!

It's been more than a year since we did a styled photo shoot for Mooi Goed's home accessories, but we still find ourselves falling in love with their designs all over again every time! Mooi Goed, which means Beautiful Goods in Dutch, offers minimalist home accessories of muted colours and timeless designs, which we think would be perfect for any home..

This cake platter for example.. Surely one of our picks from the Mooi Goed collection! Does the shape seem familiar? A subtle reference to the paper coaster everyone knows and recognises, and bent points along the frame for a little twist.. We are definitely digging the intricate details in this design! While it lays beautifully on its own, it still serves as the perfect backdrop for your cake or tart to be the true star of the show..

Remember we were just talking about the launch of the second year of Etsy Resolution a while ago? Well.. We're already coming to the last week of Etsy Resolution 2016! Over the past 4 weeks, the Etsy team and programme mentors have been sharing many helpful and valuable tips and tricks, accompanied with plenty of activities to guide you along and for you to have a hand at. Think photography, marketing, SEO.. everything you need to get your Etsy shop all ready.

However, we think one of the best parts of this special programme definitely has to be the community it built.. Being able to engage with other like-minded people and get support from the mentors and true Etsy pros, Jemima Callaghan from Lost Property Hong Kong and Vincci Ching from Angee W, through the dedicated Facebook Group is an amazing way to gather invaluable feedback fast and make your shop even better.. Something you can't get elsewhere.

As a team who frequents Etsy (someone guard our wallets), we visited the participants' Etsy shops and we were completely blown away at how far they've come! Before we knew it, we found ourselves hopping through various items of theirs.. Take a look at Haberdasher Store and Wilde Naturals, while they look very different, both have beautiful logos and nice photos. Great examples of choosing a style to match your product and brand.. Another favourite of ours from the region is SkyeRocks. Take it from her.. Using the "macro" setting to take photographs sure works amazing for gems with intricate details!

Very happy to see that many have taken that first step to setting up their creative business.. Feeling inspired to try a couple of new things myself too. What about you? Share with us some of the things you're aiming to cross off your list this 2016!

Every year I have a mental list of new creative skills I wish to take up and this 2016 is no exception.. But having Skillshare around just makes it a whole lot easier! An amazing online learning platform for virtually any and everything under the sun, you can quickly pick up almost any skill you can think of through their nifty videos from the comfort of your home.. You'll be surprised! Whether it's baking, photography, marketing, or even business strategies.. Yup, they've got you. In fact, we think choosing from such a huge variety of classes has to be the toughest part. But here's some good news for you..

Once you've mastered lettering and calligraphy, it's time to take it to a different platform and achieve even more by digitising it without losing that textural, hand-made feel.

Instead of paying $10/month, our Bloesem readers get Premium Access to over 2,500 (!) classes for 3 months at just $0.99! So go wild with the classes.. Use the code bloesemblogs99 to redeem the offer or you can just click this link to sign up.

That's not all.. There's a pretty exciting competition going on where you stand a chance to win 1 FREE year of access to Skillshare on top of the 3-month deal. All you have to do is:

1) Follow @Skillshare on Instagram2) Post a photo of a new skill or project you're excited to take on this 20163) Tag @Skillshare, along with two other friends, and include the hashtag #monthoflearning.

I can already think of a couple of new projects I can't wait to start.. It's such a win-win. But hurry though - promotion ends this Sunday, 31 January.

Go on and attend the classes in your pajamas, no one has to know, right? "Learn new skills in 2016", check!

.. Skillshare.. Follow them on Instagram and tag them to stand a chance to win 1 free year of access

How are your resolutions coming along? I've been sticking to using a planner more consistently and eating clean, so it's going pretty well.. But if starting a business is one of your New Year's resolutions this 2016, then we hope you haven't missed our last post about Etsy Resolution, an online boot camp for aspiring makers and creative entrepreneurs, beginning next Monday!

While we all know and love Etsy as the marketplace to shop for local handmade items through a global community, over here at Bloesem we're extremely excited to hear about their programme guiding and supporting budding small businesses out there! Second year in the running after a smashing debut in 2015, Etsy Resolution is back again flanked by two successful digital entrepreneurs, Jemima Callaghan from Lost Property Hong Kong and Vincci Ching from Angee W, who have grown their businesses on Etsy itself. Under their mentorship, you'll be guided through all the steps and details about starting your own Etsy shop.. While connecting and interacting with other fellow makers on this programme!

Etsy Resolution begins on 25 January, but it's not too late to sign up. Register over here.. and get 20 free listings on your new Etsy shop when you use this code: Bloesem2016Resolution! Just a special little treat from us to you.. As makers ourselves, we definitely believe in supporting small businesses and helping one another out along the way. And we're beyond thrilled for you to embark on this journey of yours! Wishing you all the best..

If you've been toying with the idea of starting a creative business of your own, or even better yet, you've decided that this 2016 is the year to.. Then it's time to kickstart your new year's resolution with an Etsy bootcamp! Etsy is not just a giant international online marketplace for vintage and handmade goods which we all know and love here at Bloesem (and we're sure everywhere else too), it's also home to a global community that supports creative entrepreneurs and helps your business succeed.. So we are super thrilled to share with our readers this amazing opportunity for all budding creatives and business owners out there!

The bootcamp, aptly called Etsy Resolution, is a free 4-week online program starting on the 25 January, designed specially for makers and creatives out there who are new to Etsy. You will be guided, step-by-step, through the process of setting up your own Etsy shop under the mentorship of the true pros, Jemima Callaghan from Lost Property Hong Kong and Vincci Ching from Angee W. As inspiring digital entrepreneurs who have succeeded in making their own creative business dreams come true on Etsy, they will be spearheading the programme and bringing you through all the little details. Plus, you'll be a part of a dedicated Etsy Resolution Facebook group where you'll be connected to your mentors and fellow participants as well!

With a successful debut last year in Australia which saw thousands(!) of creatives connecting with mentors and one another to learn how to turn their creative ideas into successful Etsy businesses, Etsy Resolution goes global this 2016, with Japan, UK, France, Canada, and many more countries participating. Being a part of a new entire generation of makers from all over the world sounds beyond exciting, doesn't it!

Head over to their page to get more information about the programme and register. Psst.. A special little treat just for our readers (and future creative business owners).. Sign up with this code (Bloesem2016Resolution) and get 20 free listings on your Etsy shop!

Like with Etsy, we hope to support the launch of your new businesses too, and as makers ourselves, we definitely believe in helping one another along the way. Wishing you guys all the best!

Hi and welcome to Bloesem! My name is Irene Hoofs and I started this journal in 2006 wanting to share my passion for design, art and craft with you. I moved to a new platform in 2016 called BloesemDesign.com